Helmet



Feb. 8, 1944.

T. J. FLYNN El AL HELMET 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 13, 1942 INVENTORS THOMAS J. FLYNN BY ALBE rdgugmm ATTd N Feb. 8 1944. FLYNN r AL 2,340,872

HELMET Filed May 13, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 was.

FIG. 6.

INVENTORS "moms .LFL

Patented Feb. 8, 1944 HELMET Thomas Joseph Flynn, United StatesNavy, and AlbertWertheimer, Arlington, Va;

Applicationlviay. 13, 1942, Serial 'No. 442,798

(Granted"" under" the act of March 3, 1883, as

amendedApriltO, 1928; 370' G; 757) 4 Claims.

This invention relates to body armor, an'd'more particularly to a helmet which may be worn by persons engaged in hazardous occupationssuch as construction workers, sand-hogs, etc., and particularly persons in the military services, such as soldiers, sailors and marines, to protect the head and neck from flyingor falling fragments.

This type'of helmet is particularly designed for use of persons who must wear certain types of equipment on their heads, such as telephone headsets or the like, while in performance of their duties. Accordingly, the helmet has been designed so as to provide. space within its confines'for a telephone headset, or other apparatus, affords a maximum of protection to the wearer, and .will be comfortable to wear over long periods of time.

Itis therefore an object of this invention to provide a helmet which. will protect the wearer and be more comfortable over long, periods of time.

Another object ofthis invention isto provide a helmet which extends over the majorportions of the head and neck of the wearer. and. which per.- mits the wearer at the same time to be equipped With a telephoneiheadset, earphones, or the'like, at thesametime.

A further object of theinvention is to provide a helmet which is provided with a cushioning element and which may be worn by a person who is to be equipped with a telephone headset; or the like.

IAIlOthEl' object of theinvention is to provide a chin strap assembly which will securely maintain the helmet on the head of thewearer-during ad- I verse conditions, and which may be adjusted to securethe helmet to dilferent sizes of heads;

Still. further objects, advantages, and improvements will be apparent from the following. description of the invention taken in connection with. the. accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspectiveview of the assembled helmet as worn, and showing a telephone headset positioned therein.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the cushioning element.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the chin strap assembly together with slings and links for attachment to the edge of the helmet.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the slides and associated buckle which holds the chin strap.

Figure 5 is a view inelevation along the central longitudinal section 5-5 of Figure 7.

Figure 6 is a partial sectional view, taken along theline 6-45 of .Fig. 5,,showing the attachment of .thelink and'sling to the edge of the helmet.

Figure. '7 is an inverted planview of the assembled helmet.

Figure 8 is a side view of a portion of the helmet showing a modified formof means for attaching the sling;

Figurel9 is a sectional view, taken along the line 9--9 of Fig. 8.

Referring. now to the-drawings, on which like numerals. of reference are employed to designate like (parts throughout the several views, and more particularly to Fig. 1. thereof, there is shown therein a person suchas a soldieror sailor wearing-a helmet which is the .subjectmatter of this invention, and having incorporated therein-a telephone headset ll forrthe purpose of receivinginstructionsfor thecarrying out of his duties while underfire.

The, body of the. helmet. I2 is constructed; by drawing, stamping, or otherwise shaping a single piece of sheet metal of sufiicient thickness for the purpose to which the helmet is intended. In order to present a smooth surface at the edge, a metal beading lll'is-formedqon the periphery of the helmet. and. extends. entirely therearound. For usesother than warfare, such as for construction workers, thebody l2 may comprise a-synthetic resin, or thermoplastic material of sufficient riidity. v

The body part i2 is supported upon the head by a cushioning element l3which preferably comprises a. suitably prepared piece of ellipsoidal shaped. sponge rubber fitted within the helmet body. A chinstrap assembly I4 passes under the jawbone of the wearer andthus holds the helmet in place. Theslings I5 are attached to the helmet body l2'by meansv of connecting links it, while thechin strap assembly 14 is movably attached to the slings l5 by meansof slides l1.

Ref erring now: to .Fig. 2 it will bev observedthat the cushioningelementl? may. beiformed of. a single piece of sponge rubber, or other similar resilient material. Nevertheless, if desired, the cushioning element could be formed in several sections which would be assembled when attached to the helmet body l2. This cushioning element should be formed so that its outer convex surface will conform to the inner concave surface of the helmet body, while the inner concave surface of the cushion will conform in general to the contour of a human head. Vertically extending openings generally indicated at l3a are provided on each side of the cushionin element to allow for the positioning of a telephone headset or other apparatus, on the head and within the confines of the helmet body. A series of interiorly extending spaces or voids [8 are provided within the forward and after portions of the cushioning element to allow for compression and deformation of the cushion due to variations in head sizes when the helmet is worn.

The spaces I8 are hermetically sealed with a thin layer of a material 19 such as synthetic rubber or pure latex which is likewise applied over all the surfaces of the cushioning element which would otherwise be exposed to the action of the atmosphere or perspiration of the wearer. (See Figs. 2 and 7.) Over this a layer of cloth or other material is applied which has a high coeflicient of friction with respect to human hair and flesh. This cloth should preferably be extended slightly over the outer convex surface of the cushioning element which will normally be attached to the helmet body, as shown particularly in Fig. 2. In this way the edges of the cloth will be concealed and secured under the cushion 13 when the cushion is secured to the helmet body by means of rubber cement or other suitable adhesive material.

The chin strap assembly M, which is shown in detail in Fig. 3, comprises a chin strap 19', buckles 2|, slides I! and slings 15. The strap l9 and slides I"! are preferably made of leather or any other suitably flexible material. The central portion of the chin strap [9 is enlarged so as to permit its being shaped to fit snugly over the jawbone without likelihood of slipping out of position. To the inner surface of the chin strap l9 there should be attached, either by stitching or cementing a lining 22 of some soft and pliable material such as chrome retanned horsehide, although this is not essential. The buckles 2| are attached to the slings l by slides H (see Fig. 4) and are of the ordinary friction lock type. As will be seen, the chin strap l9 may be moved longitudinally of the slings I5, so that the position of the chin strap may be adjusted relative to the head of the wearer. The ends of the chin strap l4 pass through the locking slide 2 la of the buckles 2| so that the wearer may adjust the length of the chin strap simply by holding the buckle and pulling up on the chin strap. The slings l5 are made of short lengths of some material, such as leather or the like, and are provided with holes at their ends for attachment to the helmet body I2 by means of the connecting links I6, or by any other suitable means. It will be noted that the points of connection between the slings l5 and the helmet both are widely spaced, thus providing a, two-point anchorage for each sling to the helmet and thereby preventing any possibility of the helmet tilting about the head of the wearer. This construction is shown in detail in Fig. 6. A modified form of sling and attaching means is shown in Figs. 8 and 9. In this modified form the slin l5 may be stamped out of leather or similar material in the shape shown and attached to the helmet body I2 by means of rivets 23 which pass through the holes provided in the sling and helmet body.

While the invention has been described with reference to certain preferred examples thereof which give satisfactory results, it will be under stood by thos skilled in the art to which the invention pertains, after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is my intention, therefore, to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications.

The invention herein described may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is: l. A helmet for use with a headset or other apparatus to be worn on the head, comprising a helmet body, an insert of resilient material attached to the inner surface of said body, said insert being cut away over portions of each side so as to provide space for said apparatus to be worn upon the head, and two-way adjustable means for securing the helmet to the wearer, including an elongated sling attached to each side of the helmet and an adjustable chin strap slidably secured to said slings.

2. A helmet comprising a helmet body, an insert' of resilient material attached to the inner surface of said body and adapted to conform generally to the contour of a head, and two-way adjustable means for securing the helmet to the head, including'an elongated sling attached to each side of the helmet and an adjustable chin strap slidably secured to said slings.

3. A helmet comprising a helmet body, an insert of resilient material attached to the inner surface of said body and adapted to conform generally tothe contour of a head, and means for securing the helmet to the head, including an elongated sling attached to each side of the helmet and a chain strap slidably secured to the slings for longitudinal adjustment relative to the helmet. 4'. A helmet comprising a helmet body, an insert of resilient material attached to the inner surface of said body and adapted to conform generally to the contour of a head, and adjustable means for securing the helmet to the head, said means including an elongated member attached to each side of the helmet at a plurality of widely spaced points and achin strap slidably secured to said members for longitudinal adjustment relative to said members and said helmet body.

THOMAS JOSEPH FLYNN. ALBERT WERTHEIMER. V 

